The present invention relates to a video camera operating device.
In general, an automatic focusing device for a video camera detects data relating to an object to be photographed and drives the focusing lens and/or other operating members according to the data thus detected so that the lens is correctly focused on the object, thus eliminating the troublesome focusing operation. Accordingly, a camera employing such a device is considerably convenient for an ordinary photographer.
However, the automatic focusing device is not infallible. The percentage of shots for which the device focuses the lens completely correctly on a desired object is only of the order of 70% to 80% because of various conditions of the object or various factors such as the luminescence of the object. In the remaining 20% to 30%, the device cannot completely correctly focus the lens on the object.
In the case where the device cannot completely focus the lens on the object, the automatic focusing mode can be switched over to the manual focusing mode. In such a case, the focusing ring of the photographing lens must be manually set to focus the lens on the object. Therefore, even if the device cannot completely correctly focus the lens on the object in the automatic focusing mode, it is still possible to obtain correct focusing. Manual focusing is not so inconvenient in an ordinary photographing operation in which no remote operation is involved. However, in the case of a remote operation where a remote operating device is connected to the camera via a cable, manual focusing is quite difficult.
Further, if the automatic focusing mode is used during remote operation, then it is impossible to forcibly defocus the lens, and accordingly a desired photographic effect may not be obtainable. This problem may be solved by switching the automatic focusing mode over to the manual focusing mode. However, to do so is troublesome and sometimes impossible.